Winter-terminated cover crop strategies for vegetable farms in northern New England

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: cover crops
• Soil Management: nutrient mineralization, organic matter, soil quality/health

Between increasingly erratic weather in the Northeast with more heavy rains and drought, and increased concern
about agricultural runoff in waterways, there is a growing need for better soil health and nutrient management.
The current situation raises the opportunity to promote cover cropping as a soil health building practice and
nutrient management strategy.

In order to successfully incorporate cover crops into vegetable growers narrow planting windows, tight rotations,
and busy schedules, we need more information on their soil health and nutrient benefits. While there are
resources available on cover cropping in the Northeast, there is a lack of information specific to the northern
region of New England.

We will work towards this goal by developing, evaluating, and verifying the effectiveness of winter terminated
cover cropping strategies that will help maintain and improve soil productivity.

The specific objectives of the project are to:
1) Evaluate the impact of winter terminated cover crops on soil health, nitrogen cycling, and soil cover compared
to a standard winter rye cover crop;
2) To determine optimum planting dates that allow winter terminated cover crops to maximize biomass production
and soil cover; and
3) To develop and distribute cover cropping information that is applicable to vegetable farmers located in northern
regions of New England.
These objectives will be met through on- farm research and delivered to farmers through an extensive outreach
program. The outreach materials will be delivered via guides, web-based resources, and outreach events.

The goal of this project is to increase the acres of effective cover crops on vegetable farms in northern climates to
improve soil health, nutrient cycling, and crop productivity while reducing the chance for nonpoint source nutrient
pollution to the environment.
The question is can winter-terminated cover crops improve soil health, nutrient cycling, and reduce the risk of runoff
as compared to a standard cereal rye cover crop?
We will work towards this goal by developing, evaluating, and verifying the effectiveness of winter terminated
cover cropping strategies that will help maintain and improve soil productivity.
The specific objectives of the project are to:
1) Evaluate the impact of winter terminated cover crops on soil health, nitrogen cycling, and soil cover compared
to a standard winter rye cover crop;
2) To determine optimum planting dates that allow winter terminated cover crops to maximize biomass production
and soil cover; and
3) To develop and distribute cover cropping information that is applicable to vegetable farmers located in northern
regions of New England.
These objectives will be met through on- farm research and delivered to farmers through an extensive outreach
program. The outreach materials will be delivered via guides, web-based resources, and outreach events.